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Short takes: Nation doesn’t need debt fight

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Tuesday February 11, 2014 5:38 AM

It’s good for the country and for his party that House Speaker John Boehner, the Ohio
Republican, has pledged the House will not hold up raising the debt ceiling this time around.

But with just over two weeks and a holiday weekend approaching before Treasury Secretary Jack
Lew says a debt deal must be done, the pressure is on Boehner and his fellow House members to
deliver.

Boehner has indicated that he recognizes it was a mistake for ideological conservatives to
trigger a partial government shutdown in October when they tried to tie a debt ceiling increase to
the repeal of President Barack Obama’s gravely flawed health-care overhaul. Though the law itself
is terrible, the shutdown ironically took some of the focus off the disastrous October rollout of
the Healthcare.gov federal insurance exchange that is a centerpiece of the law.

Having served in Congress since 1991 — and before that in the Ohio Legislature for several years
— Boehner understands that politics is the art of the possible. Republicans currently control only
the House, not the Senate or the presidency.

Certainly, lawmakers must look out for the best interests of their constituents and take
opportunities to negotiate toward that end, but they could damage themselves and those who elected
them if they risk harm to other Americans and the economy in the process.

Lew says that he no longer will be able to juggle the nation’s finances to stave off potential
default as of Feb. 27. House Republicans should make reaching a deal a priority; after that
practical necessity is taken care of, they can get back to other wish-list items.

Women need more awareness of stroke

Many people might not guess the third-leading cause of death for women behind heart disease and
cancer. It’s stroke, and the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association have
released new prevention guidelines for the deadly ailment.

A stroke results when blood flow to the brain is obstructed by a clot or a break in a blood
vessel.

Signs of stroke include sudden numbness or weakness in the arm, difficulty with speech and
confusion. Symptoms in women often are more vague than in men, meaning they may not get treatment
immediately.

Stroke is more likely in women than men, and gender-specific circumstances such as pregnancy and
use of birth-control pills can be risk factors.

The two organizations urge women to monitor their blood pressure carefully before they consider
doing either one. Other risk factors associated with stroke are more common in women: migraines,
diabetes and depression.

While stroke is commonly regarded as a threat to older people, in fact it can strike across a
broad range of ages.

For example, the authors emphasize the importance of controlling blood pressure even among young
women who often aren’t thinking of such things.

For the full guidelines and article in the journal
Stroke, see http://bit.ly/1bxkOT7